ဗမာျပည္က ေသာက္ျမင္ကတ္ပုဒ္မ

Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will go on trial in Rangoon today in a case that is expected to prolong her detention.

Ms Suu Kyi has spent much of the past two decades in prison or under house arrest.

She is being held at the notorious Insein Prison in Rangoon , where her trial is expected to be held in secret today.

Her lawyers will be present, but few people believe she will be given a fair hearing.

She has been charged with breaching the conditions of her home detention order, after an American was arrested earlier this month for spending two nights in her home.

He had swum across a lake to her home and would not leave when asked.

Two of Ms Suu Kyi's house staff have also been charged.

Her supporters say the military junta is looking for an excuse to extend her latest home detention order.

The 63-year old Nobel Peace Laureate is 10 days away from that order expiring.

She will be sentenced to up to five years in jail if found guilty, which would mean she would not be able to contest national elections next year.

Ms Suu Kyi won elections in 1990 but was never allowed to hold office.

Over the past 20 years, she has been in detention for a total of almost 14 years.

Ms Suu Kyi has been held in jail since last week. Last night, authorities released her personal doctor from detention after nearly two weeks.

The doctor was jailed for trying to get access to Ms Suu Kyi, who reportedly was not feeling well after the incident with the American visitor.

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